'Give the right advice'

Felix Chaudhary
Wednesday, April 16, 2014

POLICEMEN attending a workshop facilitated by the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre in Nadi were reminded of their responsibility to give men the right advice when their partners report incidents of sexual violence and abuse.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop on Monday, officer in charge at the Nadi Police Station Acting Assistant Superintendent Petero Tuinararama said one of the biggest issues was the advice given to male perpetrators at police stations.

Mr Tuinararama, who has five years of experience with the centre as a male advocate against violence against women and as chair of the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children in Nadi, said it was the cultural attitude of police that got in the way of their work while dealing with crimes of violence against women and girls.

"It is because of this that most officers became non-enforcers of the law and were not able to provide women with the help they need," he said.